Uttarakhand Disaster!
What are the steps taken by the government?
2013 North India Floods.
In June 2013, a multi-day cloudburst centered on the North Indian state of Uttarakhand caused devastating floods and landslides in the country's worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami. Though some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in India experienced the flood, some regions of Western Nepal, and some parts of Western Tibet also experienced heavy rainfall, over 95% of the casualties occurred in Uttarakhand. As of 16 July 2013, according to figures provided by the Uttarakhand government, more than 5,700 people were "presumed dead." This total included 934 local residents.
Financial Assistance.
The Prime Minister of India undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas and announced Rs.10 billion ($170 million) aid package for disaster relief efforts in the state. Several state governments announced financial assistance, with Uttar Pradesh pledging Rs.250 million ($4.2 million), the governments of Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi Rs.100 million ($1.7 million) each, the governments of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Chattisgarh Rs.50 million ($830,000) each. The US Ambassador to India extended a financial help of $150,000 through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the NGOs working in the area and announced that the US will provide further financial aid of $75,000.
Search, Rescue, and Relief Efforts.
- The Air Force deployed around 43 aircrafts for relief and rescue operations.
- The Railways along with the Uttarakhand government had offered to send all stranded passengers free of cost to their respective destinations.
- The Indian Air Force deployed its heavylift Mi-26 helicopters to transport fuel and heavy equipment required by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to clear roads closed due to landslide.
- The Indian Air Force has also activated advanced landing grounds at Dharasu and Gaucher and set up an airbridge to evacuate stranded people.
- Department of Telecom had also issued instructions to all telecom companies that the toll free public utility emergency numbers must be operational and accessible to customers in affected areas.
Further steps taken by the Government.
- Uttarakhand chief minister, Vijay Bahuguna, imposed a ban on construction of houses and commercial establishments along river banks.
- He also announced setting up of a statutory body that shall look into the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction efforts of flood affected areas of the state.
- Government decided to give Rs 50,000 to one lakh to small kiosks and ‘dhabas’ damaged in the flood and Rs. two lakh to hotels that were completely destroyed.
- Other major decisions taken by the Cabinet included the exemption of affected locals from repaying loans taken from cooperative banks and nationalised banks for one year and supplying free of cost 15 kgs each of rice and flour, 5 kgs of pulses, 3 kgs of sugar, one litre each of refined and mustard oil, salt and spices and 10 litres of kerosene to each affected family inhabiting areas that are totally stranded for one month.
- Students up to intermediate standard will be given a one time compensation of Rs 500 each while students of polytechnic and degree colleges will get an amount of Rs 1000 as one time compensation.